AMEPtlCAN LIIîERALITY. 
S7 
his own cliest I gave him notliing more than a simple cailiartic, 
uud letired. When I returned to Sierra Leone, 1 was not a little 
surprized at receiving the foiiovviog letter : 
Bimce Island, February 1806. 
M Y D E A R s i 
Your departure being sudden and unexpected^ I 
had no opportunity to take my leave. Permit nie to request 
your acceptance of ten dollars : not as a fee worthy of your no- 
tice, but as an earliest of my respect for your superior abihties. 
Please to favour nie with your address, and permit me to assure 
you, that it will ever give me a sensible pleasure to serve you io 
the utmost of my poor abilities. Wishing you an agreeable plis- 
sage and a safe arrival to your native soil, i beg leave to sub- 
scribe myself, my dear Sir, 
Most affectionately yom-s, * 
. MARTIN BENSON." 
I should not do justice to the merits of the governor, were T to 
pass over in silence his politeness and generosity towards us. 
Hp sent the following letter, inviting us to his tabic during our 
stay, which i will intrude on the reader ; and, at the same lioie, 
iSeot us presents of wine, spirits, &c. 
Fort Thornton, Feb. 1, 1806, 
" Acting Governor Ludlow presents compliments to the 
gun-room officers of his Majesty's late sloop Favoiirite, and hopes 
that under their present unfortunate circumstances, they wiii 
consider his table as their own dailv, while obiis;efl to remain 
there. It will be his greatest pleasure to lessen the difficulties 
of their situation in every other respect as far as the state of the 
colony will admit." 
Free-town is laid out verv res;ular : whatever wind mav blow 
the inhabitants are sure to have no obstruction from it: the 
houses and huts are built of wood or mod, and well thatched with 
straw, projecting soiiie distance from tlie wall, and raised above 
it to admit free air m the rainy season. This tliatch is always 
renewed once a year, and this process, at the same time, des- 
troys the white rat vvhich harbours in it. Each house has a 
small garden at its back ; containing orange plantations, paw paw, 
apples, pepper, ginger, &c. &:c. but their larger plantations are at 
